Madan Mohan Tarkalankar
Encyclopedia
Madan Mohan Tarkalankar was a Bengali
poet and Sanskrit
scholar. He also developed Bengali text-books for children. Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar
, Akshay Kumar Datta
and Tarkalankar were the first “to envisage texts that would build the character of the new generation without sacrificing literary sensitivity. Virtually, the entire mental make-up of the late nineteenth century Bengali society was structured through these text books.”
, he was a class-mate of Ishwar Chandra Vidysagar at Sanskrit College
, Kolkata
, and later studied at Hindu College
. He was conferred the title of Kabyaratnakar by his teachers and professors because of his exceptional poetic talents. His friends conferred the title of Tarkalankar.
While still a student he composed two volumes of poetry, namely Rasatarangini and Vidyaratna.
and Krishnanagar College, before joining Sanskrit College, as professor of literature in 1846. He went to Mushidabad as judge-pandit in 1855 and was promoted as deputy magistrate in 1855. He established a printing press in Kolkata and published many old Bengali and Sanskrit books.. Basabdatta is one of his important works.
first achieved success in this respect with the support of Dakshinaranjan Mukherjee
, Ramgopal Ghosh
and Madan Mohan Tarkalankar. He also wrote the first modern Bengali primer, Sishu Siksha(completed in three parts), for the school, and his two daughters (Kundamala and Bhubanmala) were amongst the first students of the school. He taught in the school without any remuneration.
Bengali language
Bengali or Bangla is an eastern Indo-Aryan language. It is native to the region of eastern South Asia known as Bengal, which comprises present day Bangladesh, the Indian state of West Bengal, and parts of the Indian states of Tripura and Assam. It is written with the Bengali script...
poet and Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
scholar. He also developed Bengali text-books for children. Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar
Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar
Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar CIE , born Ishwar Chandra Bandopadhyaya , was an Indian Bengali polymath and a key figure of the Bengal Renaissance....
, Akshay Kumar Datta
Akshay Kumar Datta
Akshay Kumar Datta was born in Chupi in Bardhaman. Son of Pitamber Dutta, he was one of the initiators of the Bengal Renaissance. After studying in the Oriental Seminary under the special care of Hardman Jeffroy, he had to give up studies because of the death of his father and go job-seeking...
and Tarkalankar were the first “to envisage texts that would build the character of the new generation without sacrificing literary sensitivity. Virtually, the entire mental make-up of the late nineteenth century Bengali society was structured through these text books.”
Early life
The son of Ramdhan Chattopadhyay of Bilwagram in Nadia districtNadia District
Nadia district is a district of the state of West Bengal, in the north east of India. It borders with Bangladesh to the east, North 24 Parganas and Hooghly districts to the south, Bardhaman district to the west, and Murshidabad district to the north....
, he was a class-mate of Ishwar Chandra Vidysagar at Sanskrit College
Sanskrit College
Sanskrit College is a specialized state-government administered liberal arts college offering an undergraduate degree in Sanskrit language, Pali language, linguistics, and ancient Indian and world history. It is one of the affiliated colleges of the University of Calcutta. Founded on 1 January...
, Kolkata
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
, and later studied at Hindu College
Presidency College, Kolkata
Presidency University, Kolkata, formerly Hindu College and Presidency College, is a unitary, state aided university, located in Kolkata, West Bengal. and one of the premier institutes of learning of liberal arts and sciences in India. In 2002 it was ranked number one by the weekly news magazine...
. He was conferred the title of Kabyaratnakar by his teachers and professors because of his exceptional poetic talents. His friends conferred the title of Tarkalankar.
While still a student he composed two volumes of poetry, namely Rasatarangini and Vidyaratna.
Achievements
He taught at Fort William CollegeFort William College
Fort William College was an academy and learning centre of Oriental studies established by Lord Wellesley, then Governor-General of British India. It was founded on July 10, 1800 within the Fort William complex in Calcutta...
and Krishnanagar College, before joining Sanskrit College, as professor of literature in 1846. He went to Mushidabad as judge-pandit in 1855 and was promoted as deputy magistrate in 1855. He established a printing press in Kolkata and published many old Bengali and Sanskrit books.. Basabdatta is one of his important works.
Bethune’s school
In the 19th century, the educated elite or middle class did not send their daughters to school. John Elliot Drinkwater BethuneJohn Elliot Drinkwater Bethune
John Elliot Drinkwater Bethune , previously John Elliot Drinkwater, a barrister and law member of the Governor-General's Council, was an Anglo-Indian lawyer and a pioneer in promoting women's education in 19th-century India....
first achieved success in this respect with the support of Dakshinaranjan Mukherjee
Dakshinaranjan Mukherjee
Raja Dakshinaranjan Mukherjee Taluqdar of the formerly confiscated taluq of Shankarpur in the United Provinces was one of the leaders of the Young Bengal group in 19th-century India...
, Ramgopal Ghosh
Ramgopal Ghosh
Ramgopal Ghosh was an Indian businessman, social reformer, orator and one of the leaders of the Young Bengal group. He was called the Indian Demosthenes. Ghosh was one of the persons who helped John Elliot Drinkwater Bethune to establish his girls school.-Early life:The family hailed from Bagati,...
and Madan Mohan Tarkalankar. He also wrote the first modern Bengali primer, Sishu Siksha(completed in three parts), for the school, and his two daughters (Kundamala and Bhubanmala) were amongst the first students of the school. He taught in the school without any remuneration.